Job 31
1 Jeg sluttede en Pagt med mit Øje om ikke at se paa en Jomfru;
I vowed to myself never to look with desire at young women.
2 hvad var ellers min Lod fra Gud hist oppe, den Arv, den Almægtige gav fra det høje?
What should people expect to receive from God? What reward should the Almighty on high give them?
3 Har ikke den lovløse Vanheld i Vente, Udaadsmændene Modgang?
Isn't it disaster for the wicked and destruction for those who do wrong?
4 Ser han ej mine Veje og tæller alle mine Skridt?
Doesn't God see everything I do—even count every step I take?
5 Har jeg holdt til med Løgn, og hasted min Fod til Svig —
Have I lived a deceitful life? Have I been eager to tell lies?
6 paa Rettens Vægtskaal veje han mig, saa Gud kan kende min Uskyld —
No! Let God weigh me on the scales of his justice and let him discover my integrity.
7 er mit Skridt bøjet af fra Vejen, og har mit Hjerte fulgt mine Øjne, hang noget ved mine Hænder,
If I have wandered from God's way, if I have let what I see become my desires, if there's any stain of sin on my hands,
8 da gid jeg maa saa og en anden fortære, og hvad jeg planted, oprykkes med Rode!
then let someone else eat what I have sown, and all that I have grown be uprooted.
9 Blev jeg en Daare paa Grund af en Kvinde, og har jeg luret ved Næstens Dør,
If a woman has seduced me, or if I have looked for an opportunity to sleep with my neighbor's wife,
10 saa dreje min Hustru Kværn for en anden, og andre bøje sig over hende!
then let my wife serve another, let other men sleep with her.
11 Thi sligt var Skændselsdaad, Brøde, der drages for Retten,
For that would be wicked, a sin deserving punishment,
12 ja, Ild, der æder til Afgrunden og sætter hele min Høst i Brand!
for this sin is like a fire that leads to destruction, destroying everything I have.
13 Har jeg ringeagtet min Træls og min Trælkvindes Ret, naar de trættede med mig,
If I had refused to listen to my menservants or maidservants when they brought their complaints to me,
14 hvad skulde jeg da gøre, naar Gud stod op, hvad skulde jeg svare, naar han saa efter?
what would I do when God came to judge me? How would I reply if he investigated me?
15 Har ikke min Skaber skabt ham i Moders Skød, har en og samme ej dannet os begge i Moders Liv?
Didn't the same God make all of us?
16 Har jeg afslaaet ringes Ønske, ladet Enkens Øjne vansmægte,
Have I refused to give the poor what they needed, or caused widows to despair?
17 var jeg ene om at spise mit Brød, har den faderløse ej spist deraf —
Have I even eaten just a piece of bread by myself? Haven't I always shared my food with orphans?
18 nej, fra Barnsben fostred jeg ham som en Fader, jeg ledede hende fra min Moders Skød.
From when I was young I was a father to orphans and took care of widows.
19 Har jeg set en Stakkel blottet for Klæder, en fattig savne et Tæppe —
If ever I saw someone needing clothes, the poor without anything to wear,
20 visselig nej, hans Hofter velsigned mig, naar han varmed sig i Uld af mine Lam.
they always thanked me for the wool clothing that kept them warm.
21 Har jeg løftet min Baand mod en faderløs, fordi jeg var vis paa Medhold i Retten,
If I raised my hand to hit an orphan, confident that if it came to court the judges would be on my side,
22 saa falde min Skulder fra Nakken, saa rykkes min Arm af Led!
then let my shoulder be pulled from its joint, my arm wrenched out of its socket.
23 Thi Guds Rædsel var kommet over mig, og naar han rejste sig, magted jeg intet!
Since I'm terrified of what punishment God may have in store for me, and because of his majesty, I could never do this.
24 Har jeg slaaet min Lid til Guld, kaldt det rene Guld min Fortrøstning,
Have I put my trust in gold, calling fine gold, ‘My security’?
25 var det min Glæde, at Rigdommen voksed, og at min Haand fik sanket saa meget,
Have I delighted in being rich, happy at all my wealth I had gained?
26 saa jeg, hvorledes Sollyset straaled, eller den herligt skridende Maane,
Have I looked at the sun shining so brilliantly or the moon moving in majesty across the sky
27 og lod mit Hjerte sig daare i Løn, saa jeg hylded dem med Kys paa min Haand —
and been tempted to secretly worship them by kissing my hand to them in devotion?
28 ogsaa det var Brøde, der drages for Retten, thi da fornægted jeg Gud hist oppe.
This too would be a sin deserving punishment for it would mean I had denied God above.
29 Var min Avindsmands Fald min Glæd jubled jeg, naar han ramtes af Vanheld —
Have I ever been happy when disaster destroyed those who hated me, or celebrated when evil took them down?
30 nej, jeg tillod ikke min Gane at synde, saa jeg bandende kræved hans Sjæl.
I have never allowed my mouth to sin by putting a curse on someone's life.
31 Har min Husfælle ej maattet sige: »Hvem mættedes ej af Kød fra hans Bord« —
Haven't my family asked, ‘Is there anyone who has not eaten as much as they wanted of his food?’
32 nej, den fremmede laa ej ude om Natten, jeg aabned min Dør for Vandringsmænd.
I have never let strangers sleep in the street; I have opened my doors to travelers.
33 Har jeg skjult mine Synder, som Mennesker gør, saa jeg dulgte min Brøde i Brystet
Have I concealed my sins from others, hiding my wrongdoing deep inside me?
34 af Frygt for den store Hob, af Angst for Stamfrænders Ringeagt, saa jeg blev inden Døre i Stilhed! —
Was I afraid of what everybody else would think, scared of the contempt families would show me, so that I kept quiet and didn't go outside?
35 Ak, var der dog en, der hørte paa mig! Her er mit Bomærke — lad den Almægtige svare! Havde jeg blot min Modparts Indlæg!
Why won't anyone listen to what I'm saying! I'm signing my name to endorse everything I've said. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write down what he is charging me with.
36 Sandelig, tog jeg det paa min Skulder, kransed mit Hoved dermed som en Krone,
I would hold them up high; I would wear them on my head like a crown.
37 svared ham for hvert eneste Skridt og mødte ham som en Fyrste.
I would explain to him everything I'd done; I would hold my head high before him.
38 Har min Mark maattet skrige over mig og alle Furerne græde,
If my land has cried out against me; if her furrows have wept over me;
39 har jeg tæret dens Kraft uden Vederlag, udslukt dens Ejeres Liv,
if I have taken its crops without payment or if I have caused harm to the farmers;
40 saa gro der Tjørn for Hvede og Ukrudt i Stedet for Byg! Her ender Jobs Ord.
then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
